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Thread: Information on resonator mandolin

  1. #1
    Registered User charlesa46741's Avatar
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    Default Information on resonator mandolin

    Anyone have an idea of what this is? I'm not familiar with resonators and so far haven't been able to nail down exactly what it is. Looks like a National. Has a Dobro sticker. If more detail is needed let me know what you need to see.
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    Charles

  2. #2
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Information on resonator mandolin

    It looks like a resonator single cone with biscuit bridge. Here's a 30's period National I once owned, pictured dissembled and together.
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    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

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  4. #3
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Information on resonator mandolin

    An oddity. Jim S is correct in stating it appears to be a National-style biscuit-bridge instrument. The label doesn't make sense, in a way; according to the late Bob Brozman's authoritative book, the National Duolian line –– sort of a budget label –- included "Steel body single-cone guitars and Hawaiian guitars only." (The History & Artistry of National Resonator Instruments, p. 96)

    After the National Dobro Co. (the Dopyera-run amalgamation of the two companies in the mid-1930's) stopped production in 1941, the "National" and "Dobro" labels were used by other manufacturers, first Valco and later by an outfit known as Original Musical Instruments or OMI. I believe the Dopyeras was involved with OMI, who started making resonator instruments in 1967. They made both Dobro-style spider bridge and National-style biscuit bridge instruments in CA, before Gibson bought them out in 1997 and moved Dobro production to Nashville. The "National" label was later acquired, I guess, by National Resophonic, who make the current National guitars and mandolins.

    While OMI was building instruments, they made some National-style -- I owned, briefly, a nickel-plated brass biscuit-bridge guitar labeled "Dobro" -- and this one's probably an OMI product, with a label including both "National" and "Dobro" language. From its appearance, I'd guess it was made during the OMI period, 1967-97.

    So while the original National Co. didn't make Duolian mandolins, quite possibly OMI did, and sorta "cross-labeled" them to signify that while they were made by the company making Dobros, they were made in the National biscuit-bridge style. My guess, anyway.

    Of course, you could take this one apart and find it has a spider bridge, which would make things even more confusing.
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  6. #4

    Default Re: Information on resonator mandolin

    Hello

    the sticker is wrong and a recent replacement. It's a National 1930's Mandolin, probably Style N. I think The coverplate "rib" should point toward the tail. I suspect it's an early one as this feature is pretty rare.

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  8. #5
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    Default Re: Information on resonator mandolin

    Agreed, looks like a 30s National. See if there is a serial number stamped on top edge of the headstock.
    In addition to Brozman's book, good authority on these: Marc Shoenberger http://nationalguitarrepair.com/index.shtml Or Marc Makin https://markmakin.co.uk/ Or Michael Messer's steel guitar forum https://michaelmesser.proboards.com/

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